The Democratic Party was established in 1954 by Joseph Kasolo.
1n 1956, he was replaced by Matayo Mugwanya who had been denied the post of being a Katikiro of Buganda by Kabaka Mutesa II because he was a Catholic.
From 1958, DP was led by Benedicto Kiwanuka, a devoted Catholic, a Muganda and a prominent advocate in Kampala up to the time of independence.
Democratic Party had great influence, and it, therefore, established branches in the whole country.
DP was formed with the objectives of providing leadership with ability to work for the people’s interest in the Legislative Council.
6. It had wanted to develop a Capitalist economy unlike UNC which was following a Socialist idea.
DP had also wanted to protect Catholics interest against the Protestants who had monopolized all the good jobs.
It was also formed with the aim of attaining independence for the whole of Uganda.
DP was opposed by the traditionalists in Buganda because its leader Kiwanuka did not support the traditional rulers.
It was also catholic in its viewpoint.
It was at first dominated by the Baganda, so it was not supported immediately outside Buganda.
. But as time went on DP registered a number of achievements because it got support all over Uganda but mostly in Ankole, Busoga, West Nile, Kigezi, Acholi and Buganda.
DP managed to mobilize the masses for independence in 1962.
DP won majority seats in the 1961 elections, for example, it got 43 seats, UPC 35, UNC 1 and others got 2 seats.
DP's leadership was taken over in 1980 by Dr. Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere who contested for presidency in the 1980 elections but lost to UPC under Obote. He contested again in the 1996 general elections organized by National Resistance Government, and it lost again.
The leadership of DP was handed over to Ssebana Kizito who also contested in the 2006 presidential election again organised by the Movement government, but he lost to Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s National Resistance Movement (NRM) Party.
Currently, DP leadership is under Mr. Norbert Mao who was elected in a delegate conference held in Mbale in 2010. He contested in the February 2011 presidential election but lost to NRM under Yoweri Museveni.
Democratic Party played a great role in Uganda’s independence struggle, and it has continued to play a great role in shaping Uganda’s political affairs.
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